Beautiful weather has surrounded us this spring with the exception of it being extremely dry. Of course, that means golf courses are very playable—no cart path only days—and flowers, butterflies, and dragonflies/damselflies are emerging.

As usual Kay stays plenty busy with social activities, pickleball, and golf, and this reporting period saw another meeting of The Book Club. 

She is particularly active in PEO (Philanthropic Educational Organization)  which is a philanthropic organization where women motivate, educate and celebrate women, and Naomi Circle. Naomi Circle is a small group of women who meet on the first Wednesday of each month with a break during the summer months. Their meeting is held at various members homes or at the church. During the meeting, a bible study is held using books or DVDs, drinks and snacks are provided, and other topics of conversation are discussed.

In addition she attends neighborhood women’s lunches and card parties. And then, she plays pickleball several times a week and golf on Wednesday mornings. 

With tongue in cheek, Kay’s social activities relieve me of having to have very much contact with people which suits me to a “T”. I do play golf on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and sometimes on the weekend with Kay,  and pickleball on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and sometimes on Sunday afternoon. Regrettably, it was during one of the pickleball games early in the month when I experiences sharp burning pain just above the arch on my left foot. One of the pickleball players is a fitness coach and immediately diagnosed the problem and steps for healing. Tendinitis can be caused by a sudden injury. But repeating the same movement over time is a much more likely cause. Most people develop tendinitis because their jobs or hobbies involve motions that they repeat, over and over. This puts stress on tendons.causing inflammation or irritation of tendons in the foot due to overuse, improper footwear, or injury, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness. It may be that playing golf and pickleball some 14 days straight aided and abetted this injury. Anyway, I’m now out of sports and even exploring with the camera until this heals.

Over the first weekend of the reporting period, immediately after the injury, I supported grandson Ridge in his AAU basketball pursuits. We traveled to Batesville, Arkansas, on Saturday and Sunday for his team’s participation in a tournament. He played extremely well and his team blew out their competition in four games to win the championship. If you haven’t seen 14-year olds playing AAU basketball, you are missing a real treat. They are fast, and very, very good.

As for photography, I was confined to the back yard because of the “injury”. Nevertheless, a few animals and wildflowers provided much needed subject matter. Sunday, April 5, 2026, saw me hobbling around snapping photos of a chipmunk (a nemesis), a Black and White Mason Wasp, a Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly, and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (our first of the year).

And a Texas Toadflax was blooming as was a pot of Chives.

A Blue Violet was photographed the following Wednesday.

And some damselflies were seen laying eggs and an Ozark Clubtail was quietly resting, awaiting its next prey.

Another Texas Toadflax bloom was recorded on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

Several Spring Azures were flittering about on Tuesday, April 14, and a Blackberry bush was in full bloom.